Fruit grading machine



Aug. 6, 1935. `r. c. BUTLER FRUIT GRADING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1953 3141x111' of, FRED C. Bun ER.

Aug 4 6, 1935- F. BUTLER 2,010,136

FRUIT GRADING MACHINE Filed Oct. ll, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 6, 1935. F. c. BUTLER 2,010,136

FRUIT GRADING MACHINE Filed oct. 1'1, 1933 s sheets-sheet 3 I :jm/venten kfo C. Bau ff?.

Tile- Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRUIT GRADING MACHINE Fred C. Butler, Cleveland, Ohio Application October 11,1933, Serial No. 693,183

6 Claims. (Cl. 209-71) 'I'his invention relates to a method and appa- Figure 6 is a detail in perspective of the apparatus for sortingy and/or grading spheroid arti` ratus for rotating the article so that the same cles, and is particularly adapted for handling may be inspected. fruit such as apples, oranges, or the like. Figure '1 is a side elevation of one of the cups This invention is a continuation as to all diemployed for gauging the fruit which is adapted visible subject matter of my copending applicato. receive a secondary bottom Yhaving a gauging tion SerialNo. 509,641. opening therein of relatively smaller size so that In everyday practice, the sorting and grading the size of fruit which the cup gauges may be of fruit is` carried on manually, which, of course, varied.

10 increases the cost to the consumer and also opens Figure 8 iS a Section taken on the line 8-8 of 10 the road to bruising the fruit during repeated Figure 7. handling while undergoing this process of sorting. Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the ele- In addition, it is a time-taking process, and speed mentS employed for lifting the fruit from the Zone can only be obtained by putting several individuof supply to the grading tableals on the job, which, as before mentioned, adds Figure 10 is an end elevation of a row of cups 1D to the finalcost. disclosing the apparatus which is employed for It it my aim to provide an apparatus which may displacing fruit Whioh may become lodged in the be used in the orchard or at the grading house, cups.

for quickly and economically sorting the fruit Figure 11 is a view in perspective of the appago into groups of uniform size and wherein the ratuS Shown in Figure 10.

method is such that the fruit is moved from zone Figure 12 is a perSDeetive vieW of one of the to zone wherein it receives some particular attenauxiliary bottom members forI the cups of Figures tion, such as inspection in one zone for imperfec- 7 and 8. tions, size gauging in another zone, and segrega- Figure 13 iS a t0n plan vieW of the Cup of Figtion in another zone. The apparatus is such that ure 7- A the steps of the process are carried forwardly Before Speeifeellyv describing the apparatus speedily and without manual intervention, means which I employ in grading and Sorting fruit, I even being provided to dislodge any of the fruit would like to first briefly Point out the method which might become lodged in some of the parts which is followed, which will perhaps give a elearof the apparatus, ls0 that the fruit may move er insight into the Operation and nature 0f the 30 through the apparatus in a steady procession apparatuswithout interruption arising from this source. It iS my intention to deliver apDleS or other obviously, by the elimination of manual lnterfruit to this apparatus in large quantities and vention the whole process of sorting will be acto move the Same from Some Zone of Supply grad- 35. celerated with consequent benefit to the owner ually to a Point Where the Same are picked up and 3.', of the apparatus and subsequent purchaser of moved in parallel roWS onto an elevated Conthe fruit through a reduction in cost. veyor belt which transports the same to an in- ()ther objects and advantageous features of spection station where each article is rotated so this -invention are to be observed from the followthat it may be looked overv to detect imperfections 40 ing detailed description and accompanying drawand thrown out if necessary. From this inspec- U ings, wherein like characters of reference indicate tion Station, the fruit iS delivered into a receptacorresponding' parts, and whereincle 'having a gauging opening therein, through Figure l is a side elevation of the preferred which the fruit. if it iSof the oorreet Size, droPS form of my fruit handling apparatus. onto a conveyor .belt from whence it is transferred Figure 2 is a detail in perspective of the appato a table with other fruit of practically the same 45 ratus with certain of the parts removed to more size. In the event that the fruit is not of such size clearly illustrate the apparatus. as to drop from the gauging opening, it is trans- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus ferred automatically to Va second receptacle havtaken from the left hand side, showing the sizing ing a gauging opening of a size varying from that cups and the apparatus for operating the same of the rSt, through Which the fruit may drop on s0 alongside of the grading tables. to a second belt which will divert the same onto Figure 4 is a top plan view of oneof the cups for a table bearing fruit of a size uniform therewith. receiving and gauging the fruit. The apparatus for accomplishing this is ex- Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of 4tremely simple and involves a minimum of works Figure 4, ing parts and'consists essentially in a system of 55 conveyors for transporting the articles from stai. tion to station, some of the conveyors being of the endless belt typeand others of the receptacle type before mentioned.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be observed that the apparatus is supported, in the main, on a rectangular table-like structure A made up of angle iron bolted or riveted together and having brace rods and auxiliary angles placed so as to strengthen the structure and afford means for mounting the various elements of the fruit handling assembly.

At the left end of Figure 1 is the loading station B which consists essentially in a plurality of endless belt members l, Figure 2, running between longitudinal guide members 2 that are spaced apart and have opposed curved surfaces forming i troughs closely following the contour of the fruit. 'Ihese belts are trained over rollers 3, Figure 1, the forward roller being driven by a conventional sprocket and chain drive as indicated at fl and 5, respectively. Side boards t are provided to prevent overilow of the fruit that extend forwardly to a transverse head board l hung between the frame verticles that is made up preferably of pliable material and is split vertically as at 8 over each trough so as to allow the fruit to pass thereby without injury thereto. This head board also serves to level the fruit in the trough without injurying the same. From Figure 1 it will be noted that'the fruit moves by gravity from the head board to a transfer point C where it is picked up on an endless conveyor and elevated to a point where it is delivered to an inspection station D, however, is urged forwardly by the fruit therebehind moving under the influence of the conveyor belts l. This apparatus for transferring the fruit from station C to station D is shown best in Figures 1, 2, and 9, wherein it comprises spaced driving chain members Q which are trained around sprocket members l@ and Ill, sprocket members lil being mounted onl a transverse shaft it and sprocket members ll `iournaled on the lower shaft lil. The shafts l2 and lll carry belt rolls l5 and22 respectively, hereinafter mentioned. At spaced points along the opposed chain members e are secured the devices whichV serve to pickup the fruit from each of the troughs and transfer' a number of the same simultaneously to station D. IThese members take the form of a transverse bar Mi pivotally suspended as at 'l, Figure l, at spaced intervals from the chains, each of said bars having a plurality of ngers 'lli arranged in pairs longitudinally thereof as shown, for receiving the fruit. -Located between each pair of fingers is a relatively wide transporting belt le that is trained over the roll l5 and rearwardly over a small roll 2t mounted on the shaft 2i and thence downwardly and over the large bottom roll 22 mounted on the shaft i6. Likewise, a smaller belt 23 is located between each of the fingers 'I6 rides in its upward travel against a large iat plate '2B located immediately behind the belt members 23 and i9, Figure 2. The fruit is carried upwardly to inspection station D and is carried for a short distance in a straight path in a D so as to maintain the fruit in the rows originall ly established 'at' the loading station.

Owing to the construction of the transverse finger carrying member I6, it tends to tilt about its axis as it is carried downwardly on the back side of the roll I5, and to insure that the same will be properly positioned for picking up fruit at transfer station C, I have provided at the end of each transverse member a lateral extension 2l, Figure l, that engages with an upright member 28 mounted on a lower frame longitudinal which tends to pivot the whole carrier about its axis and bring the extension 2l under the lower end of the plate 211i which is curved at the bottom in the zone 29 as shown. Thus the fruit is moved upwardly from transfer station C to the zone of the roll l5 from whence it is carried on in a horizontal plane by the belt members alone and laterally supported by the guides 25 while the carrier members iii are returned to transfer station C. The upper end of the large plate is also curved as at 29 so that the member 2l will be held in position until the fruit is moving in a horizontal plane and no further need the assistance of such fingers to elevate the same. As the carrier moves oi the curved end 29 of the f plate, the same vtends to take the position shown on the downwardly moving side of the chain in Figure 1.

The shafts Hl, l2, and 2l areall driven from ay common source of power E which may be an eleci tric motor through the medium of sprocket members as shown, around which is trained a drive contacts 33 and 3G, should the mechanism for any reason jam and the continued rotation of the motor shaft tend to raise the bed plate 35. This will be obvious from an inspection of Figure l.

It is to be observed that the spring contact 33 offers a means for the support of one end of the motor mounting 35 so that no interference will be encountered in the raising of the motor mounting to separate the contacts. It is also of note that the efficiency of the contact between the members 533' and 34! is increased by virtue of the weight of the motor and associated parts when the apparatus is under normal operation.

The chain 3U is also intended to drive the transverse belt roll 3B through the medium of a sprocket 3l and beveled gear 38 on shaft 3l shaft 39 which is arranged in suitable brackets on the framework. The belt 35' and its function will be hereinafter mentioned in more detail,

When fruit arrives at station D, its forward motion is arrested through engagement with a roller l mounted between the forward ends of a pair of arms lll journaled on the frame at Allle. Theroller is intended to be moved into and out of the path of the fruit incident to the movement of a cup '32 about its axis 43 as will be ob'- served. One of these cups is provided in advance of each moving row of fruit and the roller spans the width of the apparatus so that when the fruit reaches the point D its forward movementis arrested through engagement with the rollerli. However, owing to the fact that the roller liis rotated through the belt arrangement Lita, Figure 3, trained over the roll 20, the fruit is rotated so that the surface thereof over its en'- tirety may be observed by the workmen for im-y 'axle 43 journaled in the frame asmentioned, for

rotative movement therewith. The cup, the general shape of whichis shown in Figures 4 and 5, includes bottom members 43' having a `square opening 43a by means of which each cup is sleeved in the shaft 43, suitable spacing means .44', being provided to maintain the correct positional relation. As the cup is turned, by means hereinafter described, toward station D, the arm 4i is engaged by the under-surface thereof and moved out of engagement with the fruit which drops into the bottom of the cup or receptacle 42. Now this movement of these cups is in timed relation with the movement'of thejsecond row` of cups 44 so that fruit may be delivered from cup 42 to'cu'p 44 simply by occasioninga partialin- A version of one cup to roll thefruitgover into the These cups are what I choose to call gauging cups and are the active means for jsorting the fruit by size. This is accomplished by having an opening 45 in the bottom of the cup of a prede.-

termined size through which fruit of a diameter slightly smaller than the opening will pass. Now

where I provide two rows of cups as at'42 and '44, the row 44 lying in a slightly lower plane than 42, it will be apparent ,that the size of the'- opening of the cups in one row will vary over the size of the cups in the other row so that the fruit sorted out by each cup in one row as compared with each cup in the other row will vary as to size. 'Ihe fruit drops through the` opening if it is of the proper size, and onto the conveyor belt 36' from whence it is delivered to troughs or tables 46 located on the left hand side ofthe apparatus as viewed' in Figure 2; These troughs or tables may be slightly inclined so that the fruitv will moveaway froml the belt and not become jammed at the point of transfer thereunto.

The mechanism for operating the cups in timed relation with each other consists in a pair of -crank arms 50 an 55|, Figure 1, the 4crank arm 50 being located o :the near side of the shaft I2 and the crank arm 5i being located on the far side, both being keyed thereto for rotation therewith. Similarly, each cup shaft 4 2 is provided with a crank arm 52 and 5lrespectively, the crank 52 being actuated by the crank 5I through a connecting rod 54 and the crank 52 and crank 50 being connected through a rod 55. It will be observed that the cranks 5I and 5l are located at 180 so that as the shaft i2 is rotated in a clockwise direction, first one cup 42 will be tilted and then the other cup 44 will be tilted and in such timed relation as when the cup 44 is in receiving position, the cup 42 will be in discharging posttion and when the cup 42 moves to'fruit-receiving position at station D,`the cup 44 will be discharging fruit which would not pass through the opening thereof, into a trough 60.

The design of these cups 42 and 44 is such that a high side wall 6i' is lprovided so thatv the fruit cannot escape therefrom until it reaches the prop- `er transfer point. These cups may be made out of heavy rubber, molded into shape, and I have shown a modified form of cup in Figures 'I and 8, wherein an auxiliary bottom member 64 is provided with an opening 65 therein which varies in size over the ordinary Opening in the 611D S0 #mi receiving and retaining such auxiliary bottom.

The auxiliary bottom is shown removed in Figure 12.

"It sometimes occurs that the fruit will become lodged in the gauge opening of the cups which is a condition to be avoided if smooth operation of the machine is to be obtained. I have provided means for dislodging any fruit which shall become so lodged, which'is best shown in Figures 10 and 11 as comprising levers 10 pivotally mounted on the end cups of a row of cups by means of a shaft 'l0' extending through all cups, Figure 11. Lever 10 is pivotally connected at its upper end with members 'li pivotedto the frame at 1I'. As the row of cups turns "about their axes on the shaft, a transverse rod I4 connected to eachof thelevers 10 as shownin Figure l1, moves inwardly toward the bases of each cup to strike any fruit which may become lodged in the aperture ofthe cups. In this manner with this device operating in timed relation with the other movement ofthe device, as the cups swing toward discharging position, the

rod I4 impinges against any fruit held in the openfruit such as apples yor oranges to at least three Y, different sizes, albeit ,more than two rows of gauge cups may be employed and fruit from the largest to the smallest diameter may be quickly and easily gauged and sorted, not to mention that the fruit is also brought to a'station where it may be inspected without manual intervention, which is only necessary to remove imperfect or undesirable fruit.

VHaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a fruit grading machine of the class described, in combination', conveyor devices for moving articles of fruit to an inspectionstation, a roller disposed in the path of movement .of such fruit' to arrest the movement temporarily at a prededevices for carrying said roller by which the fruit is arrested in its travel, and a grading member cooperative with the last mentioned devices for actul ating the same to discontinue the movement arresting operation of the roller and cause the fruit to be received by the grading member..

2. In a fruit grading machine of the class described, in combination, conveyor devices for moving articles of fruit to an inspection station, a

' roller disposed in the path of movement of such fruit to arrest the movement temporarily at a predetermined point in the travel of the fruit, an instrumentality for rotating said roller to impart corresponding movement of the fruit for inspeetion while said fruit is arrested in its movement, devices for carrying said roller by which the fruit is arrested in its travel, a grading member cooperative with the last mentioned devices for actuating the same to discontinue the movement arresting operation of the roller and cause the fruit to be received by the grading member, a grading cup movably mounted adjacent the said arresting roller and having a grading opening therein, and mechanism for causing the grading cup to engage the devices supporting the arresting roller to shift the arresting roller into a cooperative position for arresting the fruit in its movement and to cause the fruit on resuming movement to pass to the grading` cup.

3. In a fruit grading machine of the class described, the combination of conveying devices for moving fruit to an inspection station, an arresting device disposed in the path of the fruit for arresting the movement of the latter and including means for imparting movement to the fruit while` arrested to facilitate its inspection, and mechanism for shifting the arresting device to a position inoperative to arrest the traveling movement of the fruit whereby the fruit may continue to another station beyond the inspection station.

4. In a fruit grading machine of the class described, the combination of conveying devices for moving fruit to an inspection station, an arresting device disposed in the path of the fruit for I arresting the traveling movement of the latter and including means for imparting movement to the fruit while arrested to facilitate its inspection,

and mechanismfor shifting the arresting device to a'position inoperative to arrest the movement of the fruit whereby the fruit may continue to another station beyond the inspection station, the last mentioned mechanism including a grading cup for sizing the fruit, and-parts for moving the grading cup to a. position eil'ecting abutment with the arresting device to shift the latter to its inoperative position referred to, together with spring means for bringing the arresting device again in the path of the fruit when the abutment action of the cup aforesaid is' discontinued.

5. In a fruit grading machine of the class described. in combination, conveyor belts on which animee articles of fruit are moved to an inspection station, a roller disposed in the path of movement oi' said i'ruit adjacent to said belts and common to the belts so that it may engage articles of fruit being moved by all of said belts to said station, arms normally supporting said roller in the path oi movement of the fruit so that upon abutment of the roller with the fruit the traveling movement oi' the fruit will be arrested, drive means for turning said roller to cause rotation of the fruit when it contacts with the roller at the said inspection station, and mechanism for shifting the said arresting roller to a position permitting the .fruit to pass the same for further `operations thereon.

6. ln a iii-uit grading machine .oi the class described. in combination, conveyor belts on which articles o f fruit are moved to an inspection station.. a roller disposed in the path of movement of said fruit adjacent the said belts and common to the belts so that it may engage articles of fruit being moved by all of said belts to said station, arms normally supporting said roller in the path oi movement of the fruit so that upon abutment of the roller with the fruit the movement of the fruit will be arrested, drive means for-turning said roller to cause rotation of the iruit when it contacts with the roller at the said inspection station, and mechanism for shifting the said arresting roller to a. position permitting the fruit to pass the same for further operations thereon, said mechanism including sizing devices comprising grading cups movable into positions to receive the fruit therein when the said arresting roller is shifted to a position permitting the fruit to pass on for further operations.

FRED C. BUTLER. 

